Ortega Declares End to Elections in Nicaragua
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega announced that the country will no longer hold elections, which effectively shuts down any avenues for opposition groups to contest his administration. This statement is significant, considering Ortega’s lengthy tenure, having been in power since 2007, after a previous rule in the 1980s. His current presidential term is slated to last until 2027.
Ortega emphasized, “There are no more elections here where they try to take control of the government and seize power,” during a speech marking the anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista revolution, a movement he was part of that toppled the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza.
This declaration has raised concerns, as it seems to eliminate any possibility for electoral challenges while Ortega, alongside his wife Rosario Murillo, continues to tighten their hold over national politics. He stated, “The days of a party backed by the Yankees and Somosistas returning to power are over. They will never be in power again.”
The Trump administration has categorized Ortega and Murillo’s government as a dictatorship, imposing sanctions against officials and their allies. The U.S. State Department has enacted visa restrictions affecting over 2,350 Nicaraguan officials and their families. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated U.S. support for the Nicaraguan populace who strive for a free nation.
In previous contexts, the Biden administration criticized Ortega for unfairly securing a second term following the contentious 2021 election. Authorities had arrested a number of candidates, opposition leaders, and journalists prior to the vote, highlighting the regime’s increasing intolerance of dissent.
Moreover, Ortega and Murillo have fortified their powers through extensive constitutional reforms initiated in 2025, which extended the presidential term from five to six years. Interestingly, it also elevated Murillo’s status from vice president to co-president. These reforms effectively placed Nicaragua’s legislative, judicial, and electoral bodies directly under presidential control, according to UN experts.
Currently, Ortega and Murillo’s regime exerts influence over nearly all government branches, including the military, police, and judiciary. Salvador Malenco, from the Nicaraguan Nunca Mas human rights group, observed that meaningful electoral competition had already been largely dismantled in the past elections of 2011, 2016, and 2021.
Many prominent opposition leaders have faced imprisonment, exile, or loss of their citizenship, with opposition parties and independent organizations stripped of their legal standing. A United Nations panel of experts has cited systematic human rights violations by Ortega’s government in an effort to stifle opposition, indicating some acts may amount to crimes against humanity.
In 2018, hostile crackdowns on anti-government protests escalated, resulting in over 300 fatalities, as reported by international human rights organizations.
